Tasman East Light Rail Extension, USA

The 4.8 mile Tasman East Light Rail extension is part of a regionwide strategy to address traffic congestion, gridlock and air quality concerns. The Tasman East Light Rail system is located in San Jose, California, USA. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) currently operates the 30.5 mile VTA light rail system extending from south San Jose through downtown to the northern areas of San Jose, Santa Clara, Mountain View and Sunnyvale. The light rail system involves seven railway stations as well as an extension of the track and signalling systems.

The project was originally planned as a 12.4 mile expansion of the existing line. However funding constraints resulted in the original plans being curtailed and the construction of a much shorter line. The Tasman East project in its new form is a 4.8 mile extension of the existing light rail system from North First Street to Hostetter. The project was split into two separate phases. The project was started in 1999 and is expected to be complete by summer 2004.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is working closely with local jurisdictions on regionwide strategies to address traffic congestion, gridlock and air quality concerns, and this interim project is an important part of these efforts.

PHASE ONE - TASMAN DRIVE

The first phase was the 1.9 mile extension of the light rail system from North First Street to 1-880 along the median of Tasman Drive. This segment included three new stations, the first at Baypointe, which has a three-track, two-platform facility to provide cross platform transfer with the Guadalupe line. The second station at Cisco Way and the third station at 1-880/Malpitas. This phase included the provision of 280 parking spaces at 1-880/Malpitas Station. The extension to 1-880/Malpitas was opened on 18 May 2001.

PHASE TWO - CAPITOL AVENUE

The second phase of the project is the 2.9 mile extension of the light rail system in the median of Capitol Avenue from 1-880 to Hostetter. This work will include approximately 7,200ft of grade separation from two freight railroads and the Montague Express. The extension of the light rail system will include four new stations. The stations at Great Mall/Main will include 145 parking spaces and the station at the terminus will include 100 parking spaces. The services to Hostetter are scheduled to begin in the Spring 2004.

CAPITAL COST/PROJECT FUNDING

The cost of the project is estimated to be $270 million with $170 million from the 1996 Measure B Transportation Improvement Program and the remaining $100 million from federal funds. The first phase of this project has cost $75 million and the cost for the second phase is estimated to be $195 million on completion.

LEAD CONTRACTORS

28 June 2001 was the First Charged Day for George Bianchi Construction, the contractor for Construction Noise Fencing. This represented the first phase of the noise mitigation programme and will construct sound fencing along the Tasman East extension.

R&L Brosamer, the contractor for Civil and Structural has been delayed by a number of internal and external sources, including utility conflicts, Union Pacific Railroad issues, lack of contract-supplied falsework and contaminated soils. This delay has the potential to impact the cost and schedule of follow-on contracts. The VTA has analysed the contractor's recovery schedule, which maintains the contractual end date, while adjusting some interim milestones. Discussions on the costs associated with this recovery schedule are ongoing.

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